Emaciated pit bull found bleeding in Barrett Township apartment

An emaciated 2-year-old pit bull is being cared for at the Animal Welfare Society of Monroe shelter after being found bleeding and abandoned in an empty Barrett Township apartment this week.

ANDREW SCOTT

An emaciated 2-year-old pit bull is being cared for at the Animal Welfare Society of Monroe shelter after being found bleeding and abandoned in an empty Barrett Township apartment this week.

“We don’t know if his wounds are from dog-fighting or being beaten,” said AWSOM shelter operations director Dave Carbone.

A linear scar stretching from the dog’s right side up onto his back might have come from him being beaten with a wire, Carbone said. The back of his right front foot bears two circular wounds.

“And there’s still some bleeding from his mouth and internally,” Carbone said. “You can see drops of blood on the ground wherever he is. We’re calling him Justice because that’s what we’re hoping to get for him.”

Justice’s owner, whom authorities are looking for and have not yet identified, rented a unit in a Canadensis apartment complex. The property manager hadn’t seen or heard from the dog’s owner for some time and decided to check the unit.

“The manager found Justice running free through the empty apartment filled with poop and pee,” Carbone said. “It looked like he’d been abandoned for probably a week and a half to two weeks with no food or water.”

Barrett Township police, AWSOM and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were contacted and Justice, due to his severe condition, was placed immediately in emergency veterinary care. He was being cared for at the shelter as of Tuesday, with plans for future veterinary visits.

“Right now, he’s on medication to get nutrients back into his system,” Carbone said. “We’re waiting for blood test results to come back to see if there are any other issues. The vet bills are going to be high. We’ve taken photos of him to be used as evidence in any future criminal prosecution.”

Justice will be placed in foster care until someone hopefully adopts him. The number to AWSOM’s shelter on Godfrey Ridge Road in Stroud Township is 570-421-3647.

Meanwhile, anyone with information about Justice’s owner can contact the SPCA at 866-601-7722 or Barrett Township police at 570-595-3476.